Teaching Notes

THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

Eld. Emmanuel OwusuPage 1

Teaching Notes

Texts: Ex. 25; Heb. 9

  1. What is the Ark of the Covenant

-a symbolic representation of God’s Presence

-a type of Jesus, [Emmanuel]

an assurance of God’s Peace and Security

Building Instruction

according to the pattern [in Heaven]

  1. The Ark

a)The Form Factor [Symbolic]

  1. Dimensions
  • Length = 4 feet
  • Width = 2½ feet
  • Height = 2½ feet
  1. Materials
  • Wood [Acacia] Humanity
  • GoldDivinity
  1. Components
  • Box  Prepared body
  • Cherubim  Highest of Creation
  • Mercy SeatJudgment

[Grace and Mercy]

Recall Eden [Cherubim guard Tree of Life]

Witness Fall, Attest Redemption

--Spread wings touch in agreement—

  1. Contents
  • Tablets of Stone– Law of God

[Divine Command]

  • Pot of Manna – Bread of Life

[Divine Provision]

  • Budded Rod – Resurrection

[Divine Leadership]

b)The Manifestation [Literal]

  1. Business of The Ark Chamber
  • High Priest

[Intercessor]

  • Blood

[of animals]

  • Holy of Holies

[Innermost Court]

  • Yearly Requirement

[Day of Atonement – Yom Kippur]

  1. The Fulfillment
  • Jesus, The Law of God

[Tablets of Stone]

– Jn. 1:1; Mt. 7:22

  • Jesus, The High Priest

[High Priestly Service]

– Lev. 16; Heb. 9

  • Jesus, The Ultimate Blood

[Blood of His Own]

– Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22

  • Jesus, The Temple of God

[Holy of Holies]

– Jn. 2:17, 19

  • Jesus, The Lamb of God

[The Day of Atonement]

– Jn. 1:29

  • Jesus, The Intercessor

[High Priestly Intercession]

– Heb. 7:25; Isa. 53:12

Justice  Justification

  1. The Veil

torn from top to bottom [Temple in heaven]

granted access to God’s Presence and Life

revoked ex-communication state

Recall Cherubim guardTree of Life (Gen. 3)

  1. The Cross

God exchanging His Son for Sinners

cf. Jacob vs. Ephraim and Manasseh [blessing exchanged]

NB:

Death on the cross prophesied [Ps. 22:16]

1000 years prophecy

Roman practice (Jewish  stoning)

Jewish mandate evoked by Roman Rule

Not My will but Your will be done

Father forgive

(Ignorance  Deception  Will)

It is FINISHED

(For better, for worse Decision  Will)

  1. The Ark Contents

Originally

-Tablets of Stone[Ex. 25]

Other

-The Pentateuch – 5 Books of Moses

[Deut. 31:24-26]

Later

Heb. 9:4

-Pot of Manna [Ex. 16]

-Aaron’s Budded Rod [Num. 17]

At The Temple Dedication

Tablets of Stone – Ten Commandments

[2 Chr. 5:7-10]

  1. God’s Promise [to Moses]

to commune with Israel from Mercy Seat between the Cherubim [Ex. 25:22]

  1. Name Association of the Ark

The LORD of Hosts

[1 Sam. 4:4; Isa. 37:16]

  1. The Mercy Seat

Absolutely Divine [Holy]Pure Gold

Forgiveness [The Blood]

Reconciliation

Peace

Recall

The Prince of Peace

Caution:Not by works, but of God!!! John 1:13

Not Generation [of blood]

Nor Reformation [of flesh]

Nor Confirmation [of man]

BUT Regeneration [of God]

  1. The Pilgrimage of the Ark
  • Phase 1 [40 years]

Wilderness  Canaan

  • Phase 2 [400 years]

Judg.  [Tabernacle at Shiloh]

Judg. 18:31; 1 Sam. 1:3

  • Phase 3 [70 + years]

Captured??? Philistine

[1 Sam. 4:5-11]

AshdodTemple of Dagon

[1 Sam. 5 & 6]

Returned!!!

[1 Sam. 5 & 6]

Gath (tumors)  Ekron (similar affliction)

Referee sought

Cart of 2 Cows Israel

Beth Shemesh (many struck dead)[1 Sam. 6:19-21]

 Kiriath Jearim (N. W. of Jerusalem)

1 Sam. 7:1-2

 70 years [20Samuel/40Saul/7 David]

  1. David and the Ark (Jerusalem)

◊Priority for Ark’s return

◊Provideda resting place for Ark

◊Anxious for God’s Presence for Nation

[Ps. 132:1-5]

◊Return, an occasion of great rejoicing

[1 Chr. 15:25-29]

◊Placed in tent on Mt. Moriah [Temple Mount] till Temple built

Final resting place

 Holy of Holies in Temple

[1 Kings 8; 2 Chr. 5]

  1. Where is the Ark?

Last mentioned 2 Chr. 35:3

[At Boy-King Josiah’s Spiritual Revival]

22 years after his death Judah fell to Babylon (586 BC)

Ark disappeared

Explanations

-Hidden somewhere

(Secret Vault - 2 Chr. 35)

-Destroyed with burned Temple

-Captured as Prize of War

But

…Returned Articles not include Ark

…Second Temple without Ark

-Jews have never been independent after return

Persian control,

Roman control

[2nd Temple Period – 516 BC to 70 AD]

Note

Pompey (Roman General), when he conquered Judah (63 BC), entered the Holy of HoliesoHoh and found it empty

– Tacitus (Roman Historian)

Theories

-Destruction

-Jewish (Vault)

-Jeremiah (Maccabees)

-Vatican

-Ethiopian

-Heavenly

  1. The Temple, Center of the World

TempleTemple Mount JerusalemWorld

  1. Future of The Ark

to be forgotten [Jer. 3:16]

Millennium Temple[Ezek. 40-42]

-No mention of Ark

-Holy of Holies empty, not separated from Holy Place

  1. The Finished Work of Jesus

Entered Heavenly Holy of Holies

[Heb. 4:14-16] cf. [Jn. 20:18-20]

High Priest with His own Blood

[Heb. 9:11-16]

Mediator for Father

[Heb. 9:24-28]

Torn veil

Recall IT IS FINISHED

  1. Emmanuel, God With Us

Heaven – a mixture, but God Unique [HOLY! HOLY!! HOLY!!!]

So shall we ever be with The Lord

Presence of the Holiest with us

Tabernacle of God with Men

  1. Jesus, Humanity’s Mercy Seat [Zech. 12-13]
  • The Angelic Attestation

(cf. Cherubim on Ark)

Two Angels at Head and Feet (Tomb)

[Jn. 20:12]

  • Body of Jesus  Mercy Seat
  • Broken body  Shed Blood

Two Angels vs. Men of Galilee

[Acts 1:10-11]

  • This same Jesus
  • Shall come in like manner
  1. The Mystery, Temple Match
  • Jesus vs. Mary [Jn. 20:18-20]

Not yet gone to My Father

[The Heavenly Temple]

  1. Jesus Christ, The Ark of God
  • The Ultimate Expression of God’s Love and Care and Preservation

Our Law!

Our Manna!!

Our Budded Rod!!!

Our Mercy Seat!!!!

And thus we declare…

IT IS FINISHED…. [DONE]!!!

Eld. Emmanuel OwusuPage 1